Comments on: A Journey from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. on Transit

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:40:50 +0000

It’s an exercise in creativity. If you’re a true transit geek you need to try this out at least once.

(And since this post is recommended I have to update it for the Canada Line)

By: Chetan

Chetan — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:12:03 +0000

Taking the Amtrak Cascades seems a lot easier.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:59:07 +0000

Christ, that’s practically a Hummer compared to Old Trusty! What’s the carbon “footprint”? Oh well, now that you’re a soccer mom I guess you need the SUV :=

By: Bernie

Bernie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:51:25 +0000

My son’s a frosh at Western. He took the bus last weekend back to Redmond (friends in Redmond, family in Bellevue, guess what’s more important ;-). I think the magic number for the “free” pass is 12 credits. You actually do pay for it but it’s like $35 per quarter which is virtually free. A really great deal.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:51:00 +0000

Sorry Julie, try again. It should work now. The original file was hosted on my personal website and I cleaned it up recently, wiping out the file. I put it on this web site so it should be safe.

Do note that the Canada Line is now open and routes to Vancouver from White Rock now terminate at Bridgeport Station. Check Translink.ca for details.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:40:39 +0000

I tried to download the map, but I got a 404 – not found. I’m pretty interested in this trip, I go to school in Bellingham and don’t have a car (or money). For Western students with an annual bus pass (“free” if enrolled in at least 6 credits), the ride from Bellingham to Blaine is free.

By: Donald

Donald — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:42:28 +0000

Makes me wonder who will handle the cross border transit service. In Detroit MI, Windsor ON, it’s Windsor who runs their one TunnelBus route into Detroit.

By: cph

cph — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:33:10 +0000

I like reading these stories about long trips using local transit.

Back in 1996, I did a similar trip (but since there was no 80X/90X, I “cheated”
and used Greyhound between Everett and Bellingham) I also used a cab between the
border and the first #351 stop (Semiahmoo Mall?)

WTA really needs to boost that 70X, and extend it into Canada. There was talk about
connecting with the #351, but now that the Canada Line is running, might as well
extend it there.

By: BobA

BobA — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:22:01 +0000

Wow! Quite the trip. I wouldn’t have even thought to take public transit all the way.

Hope you make it back to check out the new Canada Line to the Airport and Richmond. Crazy popular opening day, almost 100,000 people rode the system from 1pm to 9pm. LIne ups were 2 hrs long just to get on. Judging by the popular interest in the new line it will be wildly successful and will have to be expanded with additional trains.

The lack of a public bus to the border on the BC side surprised me too but, sad to say, the attitude about crossing the border on transit probably raises suspicions. Look at the direct transit links from San Diego to the border crossing with Tijuana ( I took it a couple of years ago ) but that is mainly to service day labourers who live in Mexico and work in the US or drunk frat boys who party in Tijuana.

Sorry the weather wasn’t better for your visit. Come back soon!

By: Donald

Donald — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:16:22 +0000

For the return trip back (or for Vancouverites looking to do the same thing), (before Sept 7, catch the 351 from Burrard Station at 8:11am, after Sept 7, catch Canada Line by 8:30am and transfer to the 351 at Bridgeport at 9am, arriving White Rock Centre at 9:45 in either case), transfer to the 375 at 9:55, get off at King George Hwy and 8th Ave at 10:04 and walk across the border, catch the 55 Cordata bus from Blaine at 11:26 arriving Cordata 12:37, transfer to the 232 Downtown (Green Line) at 12:45 arriving Bellingham Station 13:05, transfer to 80x Mt. Vernon 13:15 arriving Skagit Station 13:575, transfer to 90x Everett at 15:15 arriving at Evertt Station 16:00, transfer to Sound Transit 510 at 16:10 and arrive at downtown Seattle sometime after 17:10.

At a brisk pace, you could walk 3.3km in 30 minutes. If you plan on walking an average pace or if you’re worried about border waits, I suggest shifting leaving downtown Vancouver by half an hour (before Sept 7, catch the 351 at 7:41, after Sept 7 catch the Canada Line by 8:00).

By: david yip

david yip — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:19:50 +0000

Came across Evan Siroky’s website last year.
In Apr., used Greyhound between Vancouver and Bellingham,
then transit to Everett for a 2 night stay.
Day 2: Sounder train to Seattle, transit to Tacoma,
Sounder train back to Seattle, ST 510 to Everett.
Day 3: Transit to Mukilteo ferry, ferry to Clinton,
transit to Bellingham, Greyhound to Vancouver.
Note: Greyhound now has a 21 day advance purchase resulting in
inexpensive travel between Vancouver and Seattle.
In June, Greyhound to Everett (purchased Orca Card)
Day 2: Sound Transit 513 to Seattle, ferry to Bainbridge Is.,
transit to Pt. Angeles (this was when the Hood Canal Br. was
closed for reconstruction), Coho ferry to Victoria, transit/ferry/
transit to Vancouver.
In June, bus/Amtrak to Portland and back. In Portland all travel by transit.
Next month, back to Portland. Plan to visit McMinnville, home of
the Spruce Goose and Salem by transit. Next year hope to try transiting
from Seattle to Portland.
Website for Metro Vancouver transit is http://www.translink.ca.

By: John Charles Wilson

John Charles Wilson — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:58:01 +0000

As a youth civil rights advocate, I know this. You need a notarised letter signed by *both* parents (or a court document if only one parent has custody) *and* the letter must contain their phone number(s). Officially, the reason is to prevent cross-border non-custodial parent abductions.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:41:32 +0000

Wow. That is really cool. Of course the 36 bus would have done the trick before, but it’s just so much more fun to make it an all rail trip, isn’t it? :) I want to try this myself.

By: Willie Weir

Willie Weir — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:38:19 +0000

Orin,

We made the Vancouver trip on August 4. Light rail from Beacon Hill to International Station, a short walk to AMTRAK, AMTRAK to Vancouver, short walk to Sky Train, Sky Train to downtown Vancouver. Then a short walk to our hotel.

Fabulous.

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:51:58 +0000

Cool Trip!

A long time ago the “Seattle Weekly” sent someone out to Ocean Shores via public transit. They made it too. It was kind of cool to see how well all these systems connect and how with a little more work, they could connect even better.

By: Barman

Barman — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:40:46 +0000

Honestly, I’m surprised by the amount of questions they asked you. It never takes me much longer than 2 minutes and 3 questions to get into Canada. It usually happens like this:

“What is the purpose of your visit to Canada?”
“Shopping.”
“How long will you be staying?”
“I’ll be returning later this evening.”
“Okay, have a nice visit”

Sometimes they don’t even check my I.D., but they’ve started along with the new passport requirements. American guards don’t ask many more questions, just things like, “Are you brining anything back with you?” Maybe crossing by foot is harder I don’t know, but I think you got it worse than I ever have.

By: Andrea C.

Andrea C. — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:19:31 +0000

And I thought I was the only one who liked travelling this way….

There’s lots of us. Cool!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:35:44 +0000

*if the wheeling distance is shorter

(WordPress really needs an edit function)

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:33:03 +0000

I don’t mind the longer bus ride is the wheeling distance is shorter

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:58:09 +0000

One gotcha I found about the 375:

You will have a 15 minute layover at the route terminus (King George Hwy & 11th Ave) as the 8th Ave stop is only served by the outbound trip. This results in a 25 minute trip from 8th Ave to White Rock Centre versus an 8 minute trip on the C51, not including walking/biking time. So you have two choices.